


Through The Years

by Starlord_451



Series: Kliego Week 2020 [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (mentioned) underage, Angst, But we don't blame him because he is as damaged as the others, Child Abuse, F/M, Incest, Luther does something stupid, M/M, Mentioned Canonical Character Death, Protective!Diego, Protective!Five, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, because they are seventeen and in love, nothing explicit though, things are bound to happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:56:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27205552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starlord_451/pseuds/Starlord_451
Summary: Now Diego was steadily following Klaus, hovering a bit too close and whispering things no one else was supposed to hear, making him giggle. Every time Klaus burst into a breathy chuckle, Diego’s cheeks flushed a deep red.Interesting. A phenomenon that should be further investigated.Or,Growing up, all the siblings start noticing that Diego and Klaus are slowly developing the academy’s second and definitely more unexpected love affair.Some are more surprised than others.Kliego Week 2020 – Day 2: Teen!Kliego & Outsiders POV
Relationships: (secondary) Allison Hargreeves/Luther Hargreeves, Allison Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves/Klaus Hargreeves
Series: Kliego Week 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984837
Comments: 2
Kudos: 108
Collections: Kliego Week 2020





	Through The Years

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!   
> Hope you enjoy this new fic of mine.   
> Again, I’m not English so sorry for any mistakes! Hope you like it!

**2002**

The best nights were the nights they all spent at Griddy’s.

Five didn’t particularly like his siblings, he would go as far as saying that he _tolerated_ them on the best of days. But there were those moments after training or after a mission where all he needed was to put the irritation, stress and fear aside and – somehow - the best way to do it was their company.

He couldn’t explain it. It just felt right.

Five had a habit of observing every little detail of everything, especially when it came to his brothers and sisters because yeah, okay they were annoying idiots, but they were _his_ annoying idiots. Someone had to look out for them.

He knew that after a mission all Luther cared about was making sure that Allison was comfortable and relaxed and safe, thus ignoring any other possible threat to the rest of them.

Allison on the other hand was too preoccupied with being the centre of not only Luther’s attention but also any other present fan (she was the most loved of them all), so she wouldn’t mind her surroundings as minutely as she would in a mission.

He knew that Ben was never going to worry about threats because he was naïve like that. And usually he was the one that would get most tired after their missions.

Klaus was stoned out of his mind most of the time, so he wouldn’t be of any help either, while Diego was…

Well, Five knew that Diego would help him take out any threat coming their way as he too was always on guard.

Five made sure to stick close to little Vanya since she was probably going to be the most helpless of them all in a fight.

During this night out, however, he made sure to keep a close eye on Klaus as well since he was particularly out of it: today’s mission had exhausted him, he had to use his powers longer than usual and he was drained.

Diego had tried to insist that his brother should stay home to sleep it out but Klaus was never going to pass on waffles and weed.

So now Diego was steadily following Klaus, hovering a bit too close and whispering things no one else was supposed to hear, making him giggle. Every time Klaus burst into a breathy chuckle, Five noticed how Diego’s cheeks flushed a deep red.

Interesting. A phenomenon that should be further investigated.

When they got to their usual table Diego sat between Klaus and Ben, his shoulder brushing on Klaus’. It wasn’t in any way unusual: Diego had always been very attached to both Four and Six.

As time went by, Klaus fell asleep on Diego’s shoulder, his weight entirely resting on Number Two, so close he was basically sitting in his lap.

“Awwwr” purred Allison jokingly even though everyone could see that the affection in her eyes was sincere.

“S-shut it!” hissed Diego, now completely red in the face. “H-he is t-t-t-tired f-from the m-mission.” As that would explain why their hot-headed brother suddenly didn’t mind being touched like that by one of them.

Five knew that Diego had always had a soft spot for Klaus, everyone did - he was just so goofy. Five himself liked how he was willing to commit mischief with him and he had become very close to Klaus these last few years.

Diego however was downright protective of him. Whether it was because Klaus’ powers weren’t fit for missions and always left him helpless to attacks, or because Klaus had always been so very against fighting of any kind, he wasn’t sure.

What was more and more evident was that Diego was becoming Klaus’ shadow, and the medium didn’t mind at all.

Their food came and Klaus kept on sleeping.

With a soft sigh, Diego gently shook his curly haired brother, who stirred “What?”

“Food is here, Klaus” Diego answered softly pointing to his plate.

“Oh!”

He yawned and started eating, calmly enjoying everybody’s chatter without joining in which was weird in itself as he always tried to be the centre of attention. Five noticed how he hadn’t moved an inch from his position, still plastered to Diego’s side and the latter didn’t seem to mind at all.

At a closer and very discreet inspection, Five realized they were holding hands under the table - Diego’s thumb going back and forth in a slow caress on Klaus’ skin, the latter looking more at peace than he ever was.

Five blinked. Interesting.

**2003**

“I want to be pretty. Like you.”

Allison was still trying to recover from the shock of Klaus’ request.

When his brother had knocked at her door, she would have expected him to do as he usually did in the afternoon: laze around in her bedroom while she did her make up, maybe looking through some of her magazines and listen to pop music with the occasional comment on someone’s outfit or the song.

Not this.

Of course, she knew that Klaus loved pretty and shiny things just like she did, anyone who didn’t would have to be blind and deaf considering that Klaus had gone as far as breaking his jaw while trying on Mum’s heels.

But _this_ had never happened before. He had always done things like that for a laugh, even the Jaw Accident started with him being a clown. In that moment he was very serious.

She could tell that Klaus was feeling even more uncomfortable than she was and quickly got back on her track to diffuse the tension.

She jumped gracefully towards her beauty case and grabbed her eyeliner and mascara turning back to him with a grin.

“Well then, you better get a seat! Allison’s beauty salon is open for business.”

Klaus made a little jump, squealing and clapping his hands, his lovely curls hopping with him.

Allison had always wanted to do this kind of things, though she had always envisioned them with Vanya, but her sister just wasn’t interested. Klaus, on the other hand, was showing excitement about the slightest shade of colour.

She was just finishing up on his eyeshade, he had chosen a bright pink that was quite honestly stunning with his green eyes. Allison was explaining him secrets and tips about make up when she moved aside to let him see himself on her mirror.

“Look at you! You look amazing in this!!” she squealed, very proud of her work.

He hesitated a little bit, which was weird for him as he seemed very deep in thought, the excitement from before all but gone.

“Don’t you like it? We can try a different colour!” she tried, not sure about what to do with this nervous version of his flamboyant brother. “What’s wrong, Klaus?”

“I just… I’d like to look like that girl from the interview” he muttered shily, his eyes almost bright with tears though that could have very well been the makeup irritating them.

Allison immediately understood what he meant.

That morning they had all gone on a big interview and in the crowd there was this gorgeous girl (with big, _very big_ boobs, Allison’s mind supplied) that had fawned all over Diego, making their stuttering brother turn tomato red. Luther had made a cheap joke about her being Diego’s new girlfriend and while Diego was clearly flustered by it, Allison had noticed the effect the joke had on Klaus.

She hadn’t thought much of it until now.

“Well, you can’t Klaus.” She said in a profoundly serious tone.

Klaus’ eyes turned directly to her, big and glassy, his lip wobbling.

“You can’t because your little curls are so much prettier than her ponytail” she stated, affectionately messing his hair.

“Your eyes are so much brighter than hers” she continued and then with a self-satisfied smirk she concluded “And your makeup is definitely better.”

Klaus laughed heartily hugging her with his bony arms “Your makeup is always the best, sis!”

“It is, it is.” She admitted “But we have to do something about that!” she pointed to his uniform and Klaus’ responding smile split his face and blinded her with its brightness.

When they went out of the room in the communal area, she didn’t see Diego’s flustered face at Klaus’ make up and skirt nor did she hear Diego’s stuttered “Y-y-you l-l-l-l-look beautiful”, as she was too busy soaking up Luther’s adoring expression at her own dress.

The punishment Klaus and she received once their father saw them was totally worth it.

**2004**

“Ben and Janet sitting on a tree…”

Ben threw the cushion in Klaus’ face “Shut up, Klaus!”

Klaus giggled and rolled on Ben’s bed ending up with his head upside down, resting on Ben’s shoulder on the side of the bed, where Ben was propped upon.

“Didn’t think you’d fancy a blonde” he said.

Janet was a very beautiful girl who worked as a part-time waitress at Giddy’s. As soon as he saw her Ben was gone, enamoured by her sweet figure. Of course, his awful brother noticed and started to tease him as soon as he could.

Ben rested his hand on his chest, feeling the creature trying to get out. It was getting more and more restless lately, even the smallest flare in his temper would stir it. He had tried warning Klaus about it, since he was the one who managed to get him the most worked up over nothing, but Klaus had answered with a disarming – and frankly quite worrying - trust on Ben’s ability to keep the creature in check.

“It’s not because she’s blonde.” he mumbled, trying to think of something else to shift his brother’s attention from her.

But his comment had made Klaus even more interested.

“Really? What is it then? She looks quite average to me.”

“She… has nice voice.” He confessed. “And I heard her talking with her colleagues. She reads the same books I like.”

Ben lost sight of his initial goal and started talking about her without filter “She’s always smiling and has a cute handwriting. She has a pretty face and a nice hands and… her eyes are so, so beautiful and big and dark.”

He sighed and immediately realized what he had just said, waiting with dread for the endless teasing that Klaus was sure going to start at any second.

“Like Diego’s eyes.” Klaus whispered instead. “He has very pretty eyes too.”

Ben wasn’t a fool. He was very close to both Diego and Klaus, so he knew that there was something going on between them, just like there was something between Luther and Allison. He was surprised Klaus was talking about it since it was a bit of a taboo. No one spoke about it unless they wanted to get stabbed or be at the receiving end of cruel jokes.

“Guess that’s not the only thing about him you find pretty.” Ben started teasing, enjoying the freeing sensation of talking with his brother about this kind of subject. They weren’t exactly used to it.

“His ass is spectacular.” Klaus said with the most serious expression he could muster before bursting in giggles. “You should see your face, Benny!”

He laughed and laughed, while Ben attempted to suffocate him with the pillow again.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop!”

They fell in companiable silence again and Klaus started to roll a joint. “D’you ever think about leaving this place?”

“To do what?” Ben turned towards Klaus, surprised.

“I don’t know. Just. Leave. Be free to do whatever without training or missions or… dad.”

Ben sighed. He did think about it. Almost every day. He’d like to have a normal life, go to a normal school and then a college, maybe study literature. But it was all wishful thinking.

“I guess.” He said and looked at his brother taking a drag and breathing smoke with his eyes closed.

Klaus could understand him better than anyone else. They were the only ones afraid of their power, who didn’t want anything to do with the academy.

“I’d like to see the ocean. Buy a house near the shore. Enjoy the peace there, far from the city.” he confessed.

Klaus perked up with sudden energy “That would be so nice! I could find a place near yours and we’d see each other every day, you’d go with Janet and… I don’t know… read? While I enjoy life without ghosts! There wouldn’t be that many near the ocean, right?”

“Wouldn’t you go live with Diego?” he teased.

Klaus giggled, but it was subdued.

“What is it?” Ben asked.

“He’d never come. He likes missions. He… doesn’t like dad, but he loves being a hero. Who can blame him? He makes for the best hero there is.” He mumbled bitterly.

“I think” Ben says “I think that Diego would drop everything the moment you ask him to come with you.”

Klaus huffs “I don’t mean that much to him.”

“Are we talking about the same Diego?”

“Shut up, Ben” Klaus mumbled throwing the pillow on his face. Ben caught it effortlessly and looked at his brother’s sad eyes. He hated when Klaus got like that. He clenched the pillow in his hands, having a stupid but funny idea that would get his brother out of this mood.

“No, no, no, no! Ben, don’t!” Klaus yelled as Ben jumped on the bed to tickle him mercilessly.

Klaus’ laugh echoed through the whole house and Ben couldn’t remember a time where he felt this carefree since Five had disappeared.

**2005**

Vanya went unheard, unseen, like a shadow with no name, she could have very well dropped a disappearing act like Five had two years ago without anyone noticing she was gone.

The others were so very loud, always used to being the centre of attention all the time. Maybe it was because they were always blatant with everything they did that they didn’t notice Vanya observing them, or perhaps it was because she was so quiet most of the time that Vanya managed to see moments that were probably meant to be private. Not that she wanted to be present for them. Sometimes it was just inevitable.

She knew them all so well she could probably write a whole book about them and what they had become.

She saw that Luther and Allison’s relationship was slowly encountering some Very Big Problems, that included Luther putting their father’s wishes in front of Allison’s. Vanya was hoping that her sister would come to talk to her about this, because from what little she knew about “sisterhood”, it should be Vanya that Allison would turn to for advice. It never happened.

She knew that Ben was struggling with his powers more and more. Every day he looked more tired, everyday Reginald put him through an even harsher training. He was the one Vanya worried about the most. But what could she do? Less than anybody else, for sure.

And of course, she noticed the academy’s second and definitely more surprising love affair: Diego and Klaus. How many times had she caught them in very intimate moments? Still, maybe she was misinterpreting it. After all, it wasn’t a secret that Diego and Klaus cared deeply for one another so maybe all those looks, Diego protecting Klaus whenever he could, Klaus comforting Diego for the slightest thing, the damned handholding, for God’s sake. Still. Maybe it was their way to cope through this nightmare that was their life. Who was Vanya to judge?

As a matter of fact, Klaus was also very protective of Ben and…

She often wondered if Five would have been the same with her had he not run away. Would they act like Diego and Klaus? It hurt how much she missed him. It was with Five in mind again that that night she went into the kitchen to prepare a sandwich and check that the lights were on, hoping against hope that the morning after, Five would be at her doorstep thanking her for the snack.

The door of the kitchen was left ajar. That was weird. Mum usually closed it and she had never made a mistake before.

Just as Vanya was about to open the door completely, she heard a giggle come from the kitchen, immediately followed by a sound which resembled a hand hitting a hard surface.

“Quiet! They’ll hear us” Diego whispered.

If Diego was there after curfew than the giggle could only belong to one person. Vanya quietly walked forward to look at scene from behind the half-closed door.

“Ah, don’t worry, love. Everyone will be asleep by now. I checked, I told you.” Klaus’ airy voice replied.

_Of course_ , Vanya thought, _he forgot to check on me._

Klaus was leaning his weight against the wall at the far end of the kitchen, looking up at Diego who was towering over him, supporting himself with his hand placed on the wall, next to Klaus’ head.

“You are incredibly thorough when you want to be, Number Four.” Diego replied with a smirk and playful eyes that Vanya had never seen before on their brooding brother’s face. He seemed like a completely different person.

“Oh, you know nothing.” Klaus teased, getting so much closer to Diego “Let me show you just how efficient I can be.”

Vanya didn’t have the time to look away before Diego closed the distance between their faces, kissing Klaus with an ease that only comes from experience, his hands immediately finding their place on Klaus’ waist while the latter placed his on Diego’s neck and jaw.

Vanya quickly returned to her room, grateful for once of going so easily unnoticed.

**2006**

Allison had been talking about moving away for a long time now.

Everybody listened to her like she had opened their eyes when she first mentioned the possibility of actually, really, truly escaping the academy. Everyone was suddenly talking about leaving a lot more often until a day wouldn’t pass by without Luther hearing it.

They all said that it was normal. They were seventeen. They had to move out someday. Luther knew very well that if Ben were still living, Allison would have never mentioned it in the first place. His death had changed everything. It was like a broken dam and suddenly nobody could hold back the flood of resentment towards their father.

Luther couldn’t really understand it. They blamed Dad, but he wasn’t there when it happened. He wasn’t responsible for not saving their brother, he simply couldn’t be. _They_ were. _Luther_ was.

When he had tried to get Allison to understand that Dad had no fault in this she went mad, refusing to talk to him for a whole week. So, Luther kept quiet and tried to enjoy every moment he had with her. He knew she would leave sooner rather than later. He also knew that she would ask him to come with her. He could never leave their Dad, not when he had entrusted such a mission in his hands. Allison would understand. _She wouldn’t_.

He felt guilty with the knowledge that he would disappoint her in the end, so he was trying make it up already by agreeing to whatever she wanted to do right now. Maybe she would hate him a little less when the time came.

So sometimes he would break the rules for her. It was worth it. And if she asked him to meet her in her room long after curfew, well who was he to say no?

So that night, with the wonderful – but also very stressful – prospect of a night with Allison, he tried to prepare himself for anything. Before going to her room, he spent more time than he would like to admit in the bathroom, making sure that he looked alright. He knew he was being ridiculous and if Diego ever found out that he had tried perfume in the effort of impressing Allison, well… Diego just couldn’t find out.

When he got out of the bathroom to reach Allison’s bedroom, nothing would have prepared him for what he found along the corridor. Years later he would still try to unsee what he had found that night.

Klaus suddenly came out in the corridor wearing only a robe, way too small to really cover him, stretching himself like a cat, completely unaware of Luther being right there. And because God apparently hated Luther, Klaus wasn’t wearing anything under the robe. Nothing. Nisba. Nada.

And Luther got a pretty good view of a few too many things he would rather never look at again when his brother kept on stretching like an elastic band.

What Klaus said next would haunt him to this day.

“Gosh, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to walk normally again! You wrecked me, you animal!”

Luther slowly turned his head towards the open door, only now registering that Klaus hadn’t come out from his own bedroom, but…

“You didn’t seem to mind it that much earlier” Diego drawled, leaning on the doorframe of his bedroom, wearing only his boxers.

Luther couldn’t help himself.

“WHAT THE HELL, GUYS?” he groaned a bit more loudly than he would have liked.

Klaus screeched, jumping two feet in the air, while Diego instinctively put himself between Klaus and the “threat”. When he realized that it was Luther he turned bright red as a tomato, visible even in the night and Luther would have found it funny if it weren’t for the trauma he had just gone through.

“Luther, what the hell are you doing up?” Diego quickly regained control of his emotions, going from completely embarrassed to threatening in less then a few seconds, which was quite impressive.

“What am I doing up? What are _you_ doing up?” Luther couldn’t keep his voice from sounding almost hysterical.

Allison opened her bedroom door peering out curiously “Luther, what’s going on? You’ll wake up the whole house.”

It was probably the first time that Luther hadn’t noticed just how beautiful Allison looked. She had clearly made an effort to impress him as well, but someone did notice it: Klaus took a good assessing look at her and then moved his attention to Luther, holding his gaze with a small smile, like he knew exactly what Luther was doing up. Or better, who he was about to do.

Klaus opened his mouth with a sneer but he was cut short by a thumping noise from the stairs, quickly followed by Hargreeves’ demands for explanations. Only Allison was quick enough to close the door behind her without being seen. Luther was glad she didn’t have to be punished as well.

***

Hargreeves was furious.

Luther had never seen anything like it. They were used to condescending glares, trainings that slowly turned into tortures, harsh words and even the occasional canings. But never this.

He was openly furious.

His face was red, pacing up and down his studio, screaming in their faces all his disappointment and anger. Luther certainly wasn’t used to it and he was very clearly close to tears. He had never given Hargreeves any reason to get angry at him, he was the golden boy after all.

The three boys took his rage through his screams and his stick on their hands until they became red, purple, black. Finally he turned to Luther and asked for explanations.

He wouldn’t hear from the other two. They didn’t matter. They weren’t Number One.

Now Luther could act like it, like a leader, and take his part of the blame. That would mean putting Allison into trouble as well. It was unacceptable to him.

“I was only coming back from the bathroom.” he hated how his voice was trembling, how he couldn’t bring himself to raise his eyes from the ground while he lied through his teeth.

“What were Number Two and Number Four doing with you?” Reginald persisted.

“With me? Nothing.” Luther stated slowly, afraid of flaring his father’s temper again. He dared look at him and, upon seeing his infuriated glare, he hurried to explain his innocence and get his father’s attention off of him. “Really nothing. I found Number Four coming out of Number Two’s room. I think they were…They…”

He could feel Diego next to him, trying to elbow him, hissing quietly to stop, but Luther had been put into trouble because of him, Diego needed to face the consequences.

“They just had sex.”

Klaus nosily held his breath while Diego started insulting him, careless of their father being right there.

“SILENCE!” Hargreeves thundered.

The room was eerily quiet for infinite moments that seemed to stretch into hours, Luther could swear that he was going to have a heart attack, with how quick his heart was beating in fear.

“You just happened to be going to the toilet, Number One?” his father asked, unknowingly giving him one last chance to tell the truth and maybe save himself from his brothers’ hatred.

He could see Klaus was looking at him directly in the eyes, waiting expectantly for him to take the blame as well. Luther’s mouth was suddenly dry and he asked himself if that’s what Diego felt every time he couldn’t form a word.

“Yes.” He said and it felt like a weight had just been lifted off his chest: he had saved Allison from this.

Reassured by that simple thought, he found the strength to look up and meet Klaus’ stare, only to be immobilized by his green, furious eyes. _Liar_ , they accused, _hypocrite_.

“You are free to go back to your room, Number One” Hargreeves declared with a nod towards the door.

Luther felt Klaus’ eyes all the way to the door and even then it seemed like they followed him to his bedroom, haunting him with their accusations.

The next morning, when he saw his two brothers missing at breakfast, Luther learnt that Klaus and Diego were both being punished and they would miss their mandatory activities for the next two days.

He felt guilty until Allison cornered him to thank him for having her back.

It didn’t stop her from leaving the academy - and _him_ \- just a few days later.

Within the week, all of his siblings had gone. Klaus without a glance in his direction, Diego just after a fight with him over what happened that night and even Vanya, with a small tired smile and a shrug.

Luther was left pondering.

If he had taken all the blame then maybe things would have gone differently. Maybe he wouldn’t be alone.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! :3  
> Let me know what you think in the comments 😊 come find on tumblr (http://wanderer-451.tumblr.com/)


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